Tag: Running goals

You trained like you’ve never trained before. Your training plan was your bitch this season, and you were happily posting #crushedit selfies right and left on Instagram. You arrived at the starting line ready to slay this race. And then … you don’t.

Okay. You are resilient. You suck it up, sign up for another race, repeat the process, hope for the best… and wind up with the same result.

Sure I ran a crappy time but I got to look like Elaine Benez while doing it!

I’m training for Ironman Louisville in 2018, working to finish the race approximately 10 years after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and getting off the couch. I started working toward this race in 2016 with the support of family and friends (even when they think I’m crazy). But outside of that, I’ve assembled a team of professionals who are helping me get to the start line in October.

In 2015, I told my run coach that I wanted to do an Ironman in 2016, when I turned 40. He had the chutzpah to tell me that I had a math problem — I couldn’t make the time cutoffs along the way. After a brief temper tantrum, I refocused and decided to pursue 2018, the 10th anniversary of my diabetes diagnosis.

An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run. You must finish within a 16 or 17 hour timeline depending on the race. Those who finish in the top few slots in their age group qualify to register for the World Championships in Hawaii. I’m going for a finish, not qualification! To do that, I have a team of people that will help me get to the start of the Ironman Louisville.

Here’s Team Anise and how it has evolved over time:

Head Coach/Master Yoda — my run coach turned into my triathlon coach. He has coached other triathletes, including World Championship qualifiers, and his wife, who is a multi-time Ironman finisher. He is the lead consultant/planner of Team Anise and schedules my run and bike workouts in Training Peaks. He also gets the brunt of my training psychosis. He is a critical partner and this relationship is key to my success. There has to be trust; goals need to be shared. I have that with him.

Swim Coach — Master Yoda admits he’s not a great swim coach, so I turned elsewhere for that. This is one area where there has been change in the past two years. After 18 months working and improving with my swim coach, I stopped making progress and I wasn’t getting the communication I needed. So I went through an interview process for a new coach, asking a lot of questions about philosophy, communication and relationships with athletes. I decided to work with the coach of a group I open water swim with. Since this change about three months ago, which included a change in philosophy/approach, I’m again seeing progress in swim pace and form. I swim three days a week, usually at a YMCA.

Sport Dietitian(s) — I started working with a sport dietitian in 2010 after a few DNFs where my blood sugar wasn’t well-manged. As if race day nutrition isn’t hard enough, try throwing diabetes into the mix! I needed help approaching nutrition for endurance sports. I have continued the relationship as the length of races increased and the type of races changed. In 2016, I started working with my sport dietitian on weight management/loss, trying to work toward “race weight.” Currently, I’m also working with another dietitian on food sensitivity testing (at the recommendation of my regular dietitian). Stay tuned!

Personal Trainer(s) — I am good at being accountable on my own with cardio, but I am ridiculously bad at lifting or doing strength work on my own. For me, a personal trainer is a MUST. One of my running teammates is a personal trainer and I started working with her once a week. For a while, I also did group classes like TRX for a second strength session each week. Now, I’m working with a second personal trainer on core and stability. Trainer 2 is at my Y and is a fellow triathlete. He’s working with me on tri-specific core, stability/balance and flexibility.

Sports Psychologist — This August, I added another member to the team, a well-regarded sports psychologist. I experience a lot of negative self-talk and judgement from others about being obese and relatively slow. To make it to the Ironman finish line, I need to believe that I can. Shoring up my mental game is an ongoing process, and I meet with the sports psychologist about once a month. Between sessions, I journal, do guided relaxation before bed and read lots of books on the topic.

Yoga Instructor — Here I’m a little more loose with my commitment. I mostly practices at one studio, but I choose classes based on my schedule and the class type more than who is teaching. Right now I’m mostly doing Yin or Heated Vinyasa Flow.

Husband/Spouse/Partner — This is the one everyone says, and I don’t want to sound trite. But when you’re talking about training for an Ironman, it’s a part-time job. I am super fortunate that Mr. Anise does the cooking and dishes, the grocery shopping, the laundry (and pays WAY more attention to care tags than I do), and minimizes the eye rolling and commentary on my spending related to training, coaching, racing and travel. It helps that he cycles a few times a week and practices yoga several times a week…and bowls in a league. My extended family also humors me with purchases from my Amazon wishlist even when they have no idea what the thing is used for.

There are also some people on Team Anise with supporting roles that are less frequent and as needed:

Physical Therapist — When I notice a niggle, I work with my PT to get on top of it before it becomes an injury. And when I am injured, my PT gets me back in gear quickly.

Massage Therapist — I love my massage therapist. So much. I schedule massages after big/key races and periodically for maintenance.

Chiropractor — I learned several years ago that having a chiro who gets athletes is important. My first one kept telling her to stop training. Um, no. Then I went to a running teammate for several years but his office location wasn’t convenient, so I recently made a change. Both have been great and keep my SI joint where it belongs.

Podiatrist — I have some ongoing foot issues and with the diabetes, I have to be mindful of neuropathy. I see my podiatrist (who is a runner) as needed to address issues and I get a regular checkup.

Endocrinologist — Because of the diabetes, I work with my endo to be sure my medication is working with — and not against — my training and blood sugar management goals. He receives copies of my training logs as well as blood sugar logs to be able to identify issues. Diabetes also changes over time, so even when something was working, it may not continue working.

Who are the professionals in your village? How do they help you get to your goals?

Dream big! It’s the phrase heard round the internet. Every wanna-be running inspiration implores us to do it and insists she does it herself.

And who can resist? Dream big? Why yes! YES! Sign me up for some of that! No limits! #YOLO!

Dreaming big is wonderful and by no means am I telling you not to dream bigly, giganticly, hugely! You should. I will even dare say that you must!

You see, dreaming big is but the first step to pushing your boundaries and exceeding your wildest expectations of yourself. But here’s the thing: if dreaming big is the only step you take, it’s worse than never dreaming big at all.